Adjustable thickness air flow panel

ABSTRACT

A method of levelling the upper surface of a perforated floor panel relative the upper surface of another panel, each said panel having spaced upper and lower surfaces having different depths, said lower surfaces of said panels supported by pedestal means comprising the steps of selecting different thicknesses of said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel relative said other panel; selecting a first layer of a first thickness on said upper surface of said perforated floor panel and a second layer of a second thickness on said upper surface of said upper panel so as to level said layers of said perforated floor panel relative said other panel when said panels are supported by said pedestal means.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to an adjustable thickness air flow panel and particularly relates to a method of levelling the height of a perforated floor panel relative an adjacent panel and the method comprised therein.

BACKGROUND ART

Elevated floors or access floor panels have gained widespread acceptance in the marketplace with the advent of the computer age. In particular, elevated floors are comprised of a plurality of access floor panels which are arranged in side by side relation in an array generally supported at the corners by a plurality of pedestals. Furthermore, stringers which are generally horizontal support members that span between the pedestals may also be utilized to support the edges of the floor panels in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art.

Moreover some of the access floor panels may include perforations between the spaced upper and lower surfaces for a variety of reasons including the passage of ventilated, air conditioned or heated air. However, when utilizing perforated air flow floor panels such panels will generally have different depths relative adjacent solid floor panels, which causes the uppermost surface of the perforated panel to be higher than the uppermost surface of the abutting solid panels causing a tripping hazard or dirt collection area or uneven wear area.

Generally speaking prior art air flow panel systems present a problem as the steel thickness in perforated panels is generally thicker than the regular solid panels. The steel in the perforated floor panels is generally thicker to make up for the structural deficiency caused by all of the perforations which allow for air flow. In order to attempt to level the uppermost surface of perforated panels relative the solid panels prior art solutions include increasing the thickness of the high-pressure laminate (HPL) tile laminated to the upper surface of the floor panel to accommodate the extra steel thickness. However, historically the HPL tile is available in only two thicknesses, namely, 1/16 and ⅛ of an inch. Therefore prior art methods generally provide the placement of the ⅛ HPL tile on all of the solid panels and the 1/16 HPL tile on the air flow panels. Since the solid panels make up 90% of the floor space, such prior art solution increases the costs of the floor system. Also such prior art solution does not allow for surface alignment to tight tolerances such as for example 0.005 inches.

Furthermore U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,252 relates to an elevated flooring system which includes a plurality of panels supported above the base floor. Each panel is constructed of a substantially flat upper member and lower member which includes a plurality of interconnected hemispherical domes.

Moreover U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,295 teaches an access floor system with deep pile carpet covered panels.

Moreover U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,603 relates to a square die-cast elevated floor plate having a top contiguous or perforated panel reinforced underneath by a polygonal grid of ribs.

Other arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,490, 4,689,870 and 4,426,824. Yet other arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,142,341 and 4,067,156.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an improved perforated air flow panel and method comprised therein.

It is an aspect of this invention to provide a method of levelling the upper surface of a perforated floor panel relative the upper surface of another panel, each said panel having spaced upper and lower surfaces having different depths, said lower surfaces of said panels supported by pedestal means; the method comprising the steps of selecting different thicknesses of said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel relative said other panel; selecting a first layer of a first thickness on said upper surface of said perforated floor panel and a second layer of a second thickness on said upper surface of said upper panel so as to level said layers of said perforated floor panel relative said other panel when said panels are supported by said pedestal means.

It is another aspect of this invention to provide a method of levelling an air flow panel with a solid floor panel, each panel supported by pedestal means, said panels having spaced upper and lower surfaces with said perforated floor panel wherein the space between said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel is less than the space between the upper and lower surfaces of said solid panel, comprising the steps of selecting a thinner material for said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel than said solid panel; rigidifying the strength of said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel with rigidifying means; securing a thinner high-pressure laminate tile on said upper surface of said perforated floor panel than said solid floor panel and providing an edge on said upper surface of each said perforated and solid panels; painting said edge of each of said panels to present a trim; placing said lower surface of each of said perforated and solid panels on said pedestal means; placing a shim between said lower surface of one of said perforated or solid panels and said pedestal means to level said tiles.

It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a perforated air flow panel for use with an adjacent solid floor panel in an access floor system, each panel having spaced upper and lower surfaces, said perforated air flow panel having a thinner material for said upper and lower surface than said solid panel; spaced vertical members disposed between said upper and lower surfaces to reinforce said perforated air flow panel; a high-pressure laminate tile secured to said upper surface of said perforated air flow panel; a shim secured to said lower surface of said perforated air flow panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prior art cross-sectional drawing of existing air flow panels.

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the air flow panel of the invention described herein.

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational section of the air flow panel.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the solid panel.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the air flow panel and solid panel.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the invention showing the use of a shim.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing the placement of the shim.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and the drawings with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art air flow panel 2 disposed adjacent a solid panel 20. The existing air flow panel 2 presents an upper surface 4 spaced from a lower surface 6 in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art. The upper and lower surfaces 4 and 6 include a number of perforations (not shown) to permit the flow of air from below the air flow panel 2 to above the top surface. The solid panel 20 also comprises an upper surface 22 spaced from a lower surface 24. Both the lower surfaces 6 and 24 of the air flow panel 2 and solid panel 20 rest on a pedestal head 30 as shown. Stringers 40 may also be utilized which rest upon the pedestal head 30 and support the edges of lower surface 6 and lower surface 24 as shown.

The upper and lower surfaces 4 and 6 of the air flow panel 2 are generally comprised of a high thicker material T₁ to make up for the structural deficiency caused by the perforations (not shown). An HPL tile 7 is secured to the supper surface 4 and 22 of floor panel 2 and 20 respectively. Accordingly the height H of the upper surface 4 in the prior art greater than the height h of the upper surface 22 of the solid panel which creates a tripping hazard. Generally speaking the upper surface 4 and 22 accommodates a HPL floor tile which can be ⅛ or 1/16 of an inch in thickness.

FIG. 2 comprises a perforated flow panel 50 in accordance with the invention described herein, having a upper surface 52 which generally comprises a top plate steel perforated with round or oblong holes 54 as shown. The upper surface 52 is spaced from the lower surface 56 which also has a plurality of holes 58 as shown. A steel grate 60 is utilized comprising a plurality of vertically extending spaced substantially parallel members 62 intersecting with a plurality of vertically extending spaced substantially parallel members 64. Members 62 and 64 are generally disposed at a perpendicular angle to each other as shown.

FIG. 2 shows that a steel grate 60 is added to the inside of the air flow panel 50 to provide extra structural strength in order to thin down the steel on the top and bottom surfaces 52 and 54. The perforations 54 and 58 can be round or oblong. Furthermore the top surface 52 includes a HPL tile than can be laminated to the top of the air flow panel by a number of means including adhesive. Furthermore the HPL tile may have an extent which is less than the upper and lower surfaces 52 and 54 so as to provide a trim or border 61 as shown. Black paint 62 may be added to all four edges of the trim 60 on the panel 50.

The solid panel 70 also comprises a spaced upper and lower surface 72 and 74 as shown. The upper and lower surfaces 72 and 74 are generally spaced as shown but do converge and then expand from one another in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art so as to provide a contacting surface 76 which rests on top of a pedestal 30 as previously described. The outer edges of the upper and lower surfaces 72 and 74 present a lip 78 adapted to rest on a pedestal 30 or alternatively a stringer 40 as shown in FIG. 1. The top surface of upper surface 72 is adapted to receive HPL layer which can be adhesively bonded thereto. Again the HPL layer presents a trim 80 which can be painted black. The air flow panel 50 and solid panel 70 may be disposed in side by side relation as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The invention described herein and shown in FIGS. 2-6 illustrate a method of levelling the height H of a perforated flow panel 50 relative a floor panel 70 wherein said floor panels have different depths D₁ and D₂ where the panels 50 and 70 have spaced upper and lower surfaces 52, 54, 72, and 74 respectively where each panel 50 and 70 is supported by a pedestal 30 comprising the steps of:

-   -   (a) selecting different thicknesses T₁ of material for the upper         and lower surfaces of the perforated floor panel relative the         thickness T₂ of the other panel 70;     -   (b) placing a first layer 53 of a first thickness T_(f) on the         upper surface 52 of the perforated panel 50 and a second layer         73 of a second thickness T_(s) on the upper surface 72 of the         other panel 70         so as to level the upper surface of the perforated and solid         floor panels when supported by the pedestal 30.

In order words by using thinner steel and ultra thin laminate HPL floor tile and black paint as opposed to trim the perforated air flow panel total thickness can be reduced to substantially the same thickness as the lighter weight solid panel.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the thinner steel and HPL floor tile of the air flow panel 50 provides an air flow panel 50 where its overall thickness is thinner than the solid panel.

In these instances a shim 80 as shown in FIG. 6 may be utilized in order to level the height of the perforated floor panel 50 relative to the solid panel 70.

The shim can comprise of plastic or other metal having pressure sensitive material such as an adhesive so as to apply the shim 80 to the bottom of the panel lip as shown, so that the top surface is level with the top of the abutting solid panel.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perforated air flow panel 50 which is disposed upside down relative to the other figures showing that the shim 80 can in one embodiment comprise of a “L” shaped shim which can be applied to the underside of the lip 90 as shown.

Furthermore the lower surface 54 can comprise in another embodiment of perforated cups or apertures 92 which accommodate fans 94 so as to provide circulation from below the perforated floor panel 50 to above the perforated floor panel 50.

Furthermore the shims 80 can comprise of various engineered thicknesses applied to the underside of the panel edge to raise the panel level with the top surface of abutting air flow panels making the joint flush level within tolerance and visually pleasing. The shims 80 may be sized to be disposed either at each corner of the panels or along the entire perimeter or partial perimeter.

Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail. Since changes in and/or additions to the above-described best mode may be made without departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is not to be limited to said details. 

1. A method of levelling the upper surface of a perforated floor panel relative the upper surface of another panel, each said panel having spaced upper and lower surfaces having different depths, said lower surfaces of said panels supported by pedestal means comprising the steps of: (a) selecting different thicknesses of said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel relative said other panel; (b) selecting a first layer of a first thickness on said upper surface of said perforated floor panel and a second layer of a second thickness on said upper surface of said upper panel so as to level said layers of said perforated floor panel relative said other panel when said panels are supported by said pedestal means.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of reducing the depth of said perforated panel by placing a grid means between said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said perforated floor panel has a depth less than the depth of said other panel.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of reducing the depth of said perforated floor panel by utilizing a thinner material for said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel than said other panel.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 4 by utilizing a shim between said perforated floor panel and said pedestal means to level said first layer of said perforated floor panel with said second layer of said other panel.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first layer is adhesively secured to said upper surface of said perforated panel.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first layer is comprised of a high-pressure laminate material having a first thickness.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said second layer is adhesively secured to said upper surface of said other panel.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said second layer is comprised of high-pressure laminate material having a second thickness.
 10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first thickness is less than said second thickness.
 11. A method of levelling an air flow panel with a solid floor panel, each panel supported by pedestal means, said panels having spaced upper and lower surfaces with said perforated floor panel wherein the space between said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel is less than the space between the upper and lower surfaces of said solid panel, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a thinner material for said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel than said solid panel; (b) rigidifying the strength of said upper and lower surfaces of said perforated floor panel with rigidifying means; (c) securing a thinner high-pressure laminate tile on said upper surface of said perforated floor panel than said solid floor panel and providing an edge on said upper surface of each said perforated and solid panels; (d) painting said edge of each of said panels to present a trim; (e) placing said lower surface of each of said perforated and solid panels on said pedestal means; (f) placing a shim between said lower surface of one of said perforated or solid panels and said pedestal means to level said tiles.
 12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pedestal means comprises a pedestal having a pedestal column and a pedestal plate, said pedestal plate adapted to support stringers and said panels adapted to be placed on said stringers.
 13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said shim is comprised of plastic material having a pressure sensitive material for adhering to said bottom surface so as to level said tiles of said perforated floor panel and said solid floor panel.
 14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said shims are placed at each corner of said bottom surface.
 15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said shims are placed along the entire periphery of said bottom surface.
 16. A perforated air flow panel for use with an adjacent solid floor panel in an access floor system, each panel having spaced upper and lower surfaces, said perforated air flow panel having: (a) a thinner material for said upper and lower surface than said solid panel; (b) spaced vertical members disposed between said upper and lower surfaces to reinforce said perforated air flow panel; (c) a high-pressure laminate tile secured to said upper surface of said perforated air flow panel; (d) a shim secured to said lower surface of said perforated air flow panel.
 17. A perforated air flow panel as claimed in claim 16 wherein said upper and lower surface of said perforated air flow panel comprises steel.
 18. A perforated air flow panel as claimed in claim 17 wherein said shim comprises of plastic having a pressure sensitive adhesive for securing to said perforated air flow panel.
 19. A perforated air flow panel as claimed in claim 18 wherein said upper surface comprises a trim painted black. 